Tumbler-lock.



E. S. PHELPS,

TUMBLER LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED'JULY 12, 1915.

Patented Apr. 16

msmao EDWIN SANFORD PHELPS, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

TUMBLER-LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. PHELPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tumbler- Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to locks, and is particularly well adapted for use as a cabinetlock, and also adapted for use on suit-cases, and hand-bags, and also on doors as Well as on receptacles having a lid or cover to be locked. f

It has for its object to form such a lock which will be composed of a minimum number of parts and act upon the principle of a tumbler-lock requiring a keyformed to coact with the particular formation of tumblers employed, and admitting of a wide range of tumbler combinations in the different locks made. I

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the features hereinafter described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and inwhich: I

Figure 1 is a perspective of the lock, with key withdrawn;

Fig. 2 a rear face view of the lock;

Fig. 3 a vertical central section, With parts in locking position;

Fig. 4 a vertical central section, with parts in unlocking position, and key in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 a unassemble ]n the drawing the numeral 1 designates a spindle provided with a collar 2 to limit its movement in'one longitudinal direction (perspective view with the parts in an escutcheon or face-plate 3. It is also provided with an enlargement or collar formed with transverse grooves or slots 5 spaced apart to receive prongs of an operating key by which the spindle may be turned, and also provided with another enlargement or collar 6 formed with transverse grooves Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

1915. Seria1No.39,389.

or slots 7 preferably in alinement with the slots 5 of the enlargement 4. Between the two enlargements 4 and 6 is a reduced portion 8 which for convenience will be referred to as a race-way because it will receive portions of what will be designated a tumbler so as to permit the spindle to turn when the portions of the tumbler are brought into the race by manipulation of the operating key. The tumbler 9 in its preferred form consists of a plate 9 loosely mounted on the spindle 1 and having teats or lugs 10 adapted to fit into the grooves or slots 5 of the enlargement 4 so as to prevent the spindle from turning when the parts are-so engaged, and leaving the spindle free to be turned when the tumbler is moved so as to bring its teats or lugs into the race-way 8. While the tumbler is capable of movement longitudinally of the spindle it is held against rotary. movement thereon when its teats or lugs are in the race-way bysuitable means, for instance by posts or pins 11 which pass through openings made therefor in the tumbler, and which posts may also be utilized for securing the keyguide 12 to the opposite face of the escutcheon, the posts passing through the escutcheon or face-plate and being screwed into or otherwise connected to the key-guide. The tumbler is normally held .in place with its teats or lugs in the slots 5 1 of the leaf-type which has an opening for the passage of the spindle 1 and whose ends may be forked as illustrated to straddle the posts 11 so as to prevent the spring from turning on the spindle. This spring may be held on the spindle by the hub of the locking bolt or dog 14 which is attached to the spindle 1 by a set-screw or pin 15 passed through its hub and engaging the spindle so that the bolt or dog will be swung or rocked to and fro into locking or unlocking position as the spindle is turned for that purpose, the free end or nose of the dog being adapted to engage a suitable plate or keeper (not shown) when thrown into lockin position as will be obvious to the skilled .in the art. The throw of the dog or bolt in its locking and in its unlocking positions may be restricted or limited by the posts 11 against which it will abut when thrown into either position.

The operating key is indicated by the numeral lii and is of the barrel-type. It has at its inner end prongs 16 and 17 adapted to enter the slots 5 0i theenlargement 4' of the spindle so to turn the spindle when the key is rotated. When the key is inserted its inner end will contact with the tumbler 9 and by pressing the key inwardly it will slide the tumbler against the tension of spring 13 and so as to move its te'a ts 'or lugs 10 out of the slots 5 of the enlargement 4i into the race-way 8 and then by rotating the key the spindle 1 will be turned and its belt or, dog 14 swung or rocked to its unlockingposition, the several parts retaining the position thus given to them until the key is rotated back to its first position, whereupon the spring 13 wiil throw the tumbler 9 back to its normal position with its teats or lugs carried into the slots 5 or the enlargement i, in which relation the bolt or dog is in its locking position. v

one of the prongs of the key, for instance the prong 17 is formed with a laterally bent end, or lug, 18, and the key-guide 12 is formed with a slot or way 19 for the passage of this lateral projection in inserting the key into the lock, and the escutcheon or face-plate is also formed with a slot or recess 20 for the passage of such lug or projection. When the key is in position and the tumbler moved from locking engagement With the spindle i, this projection or lug will lie between the escutcheon and tumbler and prevent the key from being withdrawn from ihelock. order-to withdraw it, the key must be turned to bring the bolt or do into locking os ition when i Z3 7 9 v the key can be withdrawn as then its lug or lateral projection will be in alinement with the registering slots. This therefore insures the bolt being in its locked position before the key can withdrawn. I i

t It is apparent from the foregoing that the lockeannot be operated except by the key made specially for it as the prongs of the key must fit to the slots or grooves formed in the enlargement of the spindle for turning the spindle; and the tumbler must be moved on the spindle so as to carry its teats or studs into the race-way of the spindle so as to permit the spindle to turn; and the stud or lateral projection on the key prong must pass beyond the inner face of the escutcheon to turn the key.. If the key prongs do not register with the slots in the parts of the spindle thetulnbler cannot be moved to release its hold ,on the spindle; the prongs are longer than they should be they will press the tumbler so that its teats willbe 'moved beyond thev raceway and into the slotsoi the enlargement 6 and thus prevent the spindle from turning; if

' the key is sinall fractional part or an inch too long ,or too short it will notniove the tiunbler as as permit thespiiidle turn;

if the prong of the key having the lug or projection is not of the proper length to permit the lug to pass between the tumbler and face of the escu'tcheon the spindle cannot be turned. t is thus apparent that the parts must be proportioned for the proper adjustment of the parts to enable the lock to be operated. It is also apparent that by changing the proportion of the race-way; or the position of the slots in the spindle en largemcnt; or by making changes in other parts and having the several parts appropriately proportioned there may be worked out a large number of variations in a large number of locks all however embodyii'ig the same essential features of the inventionand yet the keys for one set or group or looks not capable of operating another group ha; ing a diii'ercnt tumbler combination. TWith all, the lock is of comparatively few parts, and comparatively inexpensive to make, and capable of a wide range of application.

I have illustrated and described the preferred construction and relative arrangement of the several parts but it is obvious that changes and variations maybe made and essential features of the invention retained. Having described my invention and set forth its merits what I claim is;

1. A lockcoinprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt coactively related t'o'the spindle to beac'tuated fromthe' spindle, a non-rotatable tumbler mounted externally of and slidable on the spindle and normally holding the spindle against rotation, and means for releasin the holding engagement between the spindle and tumbler to permit rotation of the spindle and movement of the bolt 2, A lock comprising a rotatable spindle, bolt eoactiv'ely related; te the spindle to be actuated from the spindle, a non-rotatable tunibler inount'd externally of andslidable on the spindle and normally holding the spindle against rotation, a spring forflibld ing the tumbler in holding relation to the spindle, and means for releasing the tumbler against the tension of the spring from holding engagement with the spindle.

3. A look comprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt coactively related to the spindle,ca tumbler slidable on the spindle and formed with lugs for inter-locking engagement with the spindle, the spindle being formed with a race-way to receive the lugs of the tumbler, and means for shifting the tumbler tofb'ring its lugs into the race way of the spindle to permit rotation of the spindle. i 4:. A lock comprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt c'o'activjely related to the spindle, a non rotatable tumbler mounted on the s' infdl'e to "slide longitudi ally. thereof and havjag an .interloclr'ingennageinent with the tar normal interp eting engagement with sp tseaj p ne arthe tnite hn b n the spindle, and means for releasing the tumbler from interlocking engagement with the spindle when the latter is to be rotated.

5. A look comprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt coactively related to the spindle, a tumbler mounted externally of and slidable on the spindle and having an interlocking engagement with the spindle to prevent rotation of the latter, and a key for effecting a release of the interlocking engagement between the spindle and tumbler to permit rotation of the spindle, said key having a memher to hold the tumbler released from interlocking engagement with the spindle until the key is restored to Withdrawing position.

6. A lock comprising a rotatable spindle having portions formed with alining slots and a race-way between the alined slotted portions, a bolt coactively related to the spindle, a tumbler slidable on the spindle and formed with lugs for interlocking engagment with the slotted portions of the spindle, and means for moving the tumbler to bring its lugs into the race-Way to effect a release of theinterlocking engagement between the spindle and tumbler to permit rotation of the spindle.

7. A look comprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt coactively related to the spindle, a tumbler slidable on the spindle, and having interlocking engagement therewith to prevent rotation of the spindle, a plate upon which said parts are mounted, and a key for moving the tumbler to release the interlocking engagement between the spindle and tumbler, said key having a prong formed with a lateral projection to pass between the tumbler and the plate to hold the tumbler in its released relation until the tumbler is to be restored to its interlocking relation to the spindle.

8. A look comprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt coactively related to the spindle, the spindle having slotted portions and a raceway, a tumbler slidable on the spindle and having parts to enter the slotted portions of the spindle for interlocking the tumbler with the spindle to prevent rotation of the spindle, a spring for holding the tumbler in its interlocking engagement with the spindle, and means for shifting the tumbler in relation to the race-Way to release its in terlocking engagement'with the spindle to permit rotation of the spindle.

9. A look comprising a rotatable spindle, a bolt coactively related to the spindle, a tumbler slidable on the spindle and having interlocking engagement with the spindle to prevent rotation of the spindle, a spring for holding the tumbler normally in interlocking engagement with the spindle, means for releasing the tumbler from interlocking position to permit rotation ofthe spindle, and posts for guiding the tumbler in its sliding movements and limiting the throw of the bolt.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN SANFORD PHELPS. Witnesses:

CLARA A. RYLEY, BELLA SCHMEELK. 7

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained (or live cents each, by addressing the commissioner. 0! Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 7 

